Leave Me
by Natalie Blackman
Summary: "Leave me!" He snapped his tone harsh and unforgiving as he threw his heavy coat to the other side of the room.   Even Time Lords have their breaking points.


**Author's Note: **I don't own Doctor Who if I did I would be writing scripts for the show as well as writing for fanfiction. As my name is not in the title sequence I assume I own nothing. No money has been made from this, I just really love the show...

This story takes place half way through series 2, and is based on a unseen adventure, I'll leave it to you to decide what happened.

I assumed the Doctor would have break downs at times and always wondered how companions would act around him.

Also listening to the commentary on the Shakespeare Code and realising the Doctor was going to strip down to his boxers, gave me an idea for the end.

_Enjoy..._

* * *

><p><strong>Leave Me<strong>

The Tardis watched as he lost control again, watched as the human girl saw the Doctor fall apart.

"Leave me!" He snapped his tone harsh and unforgiving as he threw his heavy coat to the other side of the room.

Leaning against the controls, hands grasping it for composer, his head inches from the time rotor; eyes tight shut, he fought to control his anger. He had failed to save them all, always too late, never enough time – _never enough time... _He was a Time Lord, with never enough time.

Drenched from rain, his hands shaking as they held the panel tight, his knuckles white, he would not succumb to throwing things around. He always lashed out. In some way, that is why he always told his companions to leave, so he did not hurt them. Of course, they always failed to see his reasons. They always thought it was their fault they had done something wrong. It was not. Sometimes it became too much, too much pressure; too many people need him and _never enough time._ Even Time Lords can break can they not? They always pull themselves back together, eventually. So what, if emotions were hurt, he was the Doctor – The Oncoming Storm! He could break. Except he never felt whole after breaking it always took time to heal, and time was so very short. He did not need anyone, did not need the sympathy of companions, and did not want their opinions! Perhaps for once he did. They never offered it anyway always to scared, when they were told to leave.

They would always retire to their room; wait for the next day to come when the Doctor was fine and back to normal, except he never was. He could always recall their shocked faces, Sarah Jane; she smiled sympathetically when he snapped at her, and then she hid away. Ace was hurt and ignored him for two days, he could understand. Susan, she ran from him when he first snapped at her. Of course, he went to apologise to her, he never apologised to any of his other companions, then again, Susan was his Granddaughter and treated differently.

He felt his anger growing again as he realised his companion had refused to leave him, why could she not follow orders! Just this once he did not want sympathy! He did not want her here. Out the corner of his eye, he saw her standing there, drenched to the bone just like him, staring at him out of shock. He had never snapped at her before, not like that. He watched as she regarded him, her brown eyes burning with emotions. The shock replaced by something else, he did not know what.

She moved a little closer to him, her waist touching the control panel a foot away from where his own hands rested.

"Go away Rose!" He growled; _for once follow something I say!_

"No..." She whispered, her hand tentatively touching his shoulder. "It wasn't your fault Doctor."

"I said leave me." He warned his voice like steel.

"Not like this,"

"For once do as I say!" He thundered, she flinched but her hand remained fixed.

"No..." She replied more forcefully.

He snapped, he grabbed her wrist snatching it from his shoulder, his grip like iron clamps he pushed her back into the control panel, she gasped as her back bashed against it. His free hand grasped her waist painfully making sure she could not move as he brought her arm behind her back. Her free hand pressed against his chest trying to gain some sort of balance. He watched as she squirmed in his grip for a minute, before realising there was no way to break out, without hurting one of them. He thought she would whimper tell him she would leave, do as he asked, of course he was not sure if he wanted her too. Eventually her eyes lifted to his and he froze, she was not afraid, she was not sympathetic towards him; she stood her ground. The Bad Wolf defiant even to the Oncoming Storm, go where even Daleks feared to tread.

"What you going to do Doctor?" She asked.

He went to speak, mouth part way open but she cut him off.

"Because it's like I said I ain't going anywhere, thought I made that pretty clear. Then again, Time Lords seem to be a bit slow on the uptake. Like failing to realise you can't save everyone."

"Is that so?" He snarled pushing her further back into the control panel she barely flinched. "And what do you know, Rose do tell, because I hadn't noticed! I hadn't noticed I fail to save people, let me ring home and ask them, oh look there's no one there, failed to save them apparently, must have forgot about that!"

"How about I ring Earth, yeah, let's see how many people pick, how many lives you saved!" She shot back. "Oh you forget about those you save Doctor! How inconsiderate they not enough!"

"You don't understand!" He shouted.

"No! I think I do, you want to save everyone! You can't, people die Doctor you out of all people know this, but think of those you save!" She shouted back.

"You don't understand what it's like! You're just a stupid ape; you have no idea what it means to be a Time Lord!"

"Stupid Ape? Yeah doesn't mean I don't care!" Instead of trying to push him away, her free hand curled into the damp of his jacket, holding him in place. "That's what it's about Doctor caring! Everyone who dies, you care! Even after hundreds of years you still care, for all those you fail to save!" Her hand tugged him to her, their bodies clashing together, both falling against the controls painfully. Her lips brushed his ear. "I defy anyone who tells you otherwise."

Like all metals, the Doctor's Iron grip started to rust, until it became a loose knot tying her to him. She felt his grip loosen; closing her eyes, she placed her forehead on his shoulder, trying to calm her racing her heart. He buried his face into the crook of her neck he took a deep breath. He looked up to see their reflection in the rotor, noticed how hard his grip on her wrist had been. He let her go instantly, both hands moving away from her body as though it had burnt him.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, expecting her to pull away from him and run. He hid his face in the crook of her neck again; afraid he would lose the chance to do it again.

He felt arms entwine on his shoulders, as she hugged him, burying her face the same as him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight, he pulled her away from the controls, holding her against him. Anger drained, he felt her shudder and realised how cold he felt from his clothes, she must be colder than him. He went to move but felt her arms tighten again, holding him still, he felt something wet against his neck and realised she had started to cry.

"Rose..." He whispered concerned. "I'm..."

"She was so young," She whimpered.

Of course, she did not care about how he hurt her, she was thinking of the little girl they had failed to save.

"Your cold you need to change." He murmured into her skin.

"I'm comfy here." She said tiredly, all adrenaline drained, tiredness creeping in. Was she tired or could she be catching a cold from her damp clothes.

"Come with me..." He whispered.

He felt her release him from her grip, he entwined their fingers, searching her face for any signs of illness. Only finding tiredness he smiled, his cold exterior long gone, she gave him a faint smile. He tugged her along into the depths of the Tardis, towards his bedroom. She had never been there before, if she ever had a nightmare he would visit her in her room stay there until she fell asleep, before leaving her. He never stayed until the morning, he would watch her sleep a few times, most nights, but never stayed.

He felt the heating switch up a notch, the Tardis trying to keep them warm, he smiled at her as he pushed the door to his room open and closing it behind Rose. He watched her as she took in his new room, it was nothing fancy, and it would always change to suit his mood, his one safe haven. A place no one entered without his permission, everyone needed somewhere to hide. He felt vulnerable for a second bringing Rose here, especially as her eyes strayed through the holographic windows and out into the picture of Gallifrey. He knew she would figure out what it was.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

His hearts skipped a beat at her admission and smiled. He stepped towards her, until their bodies were touching, her back to him he whispered in her ear.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yeah..." She replied her voice cracking slightly.

His hands went to the hem of her t-shirt, grasping the edge; he started to pull it over, slowly allowing her to escape if she wanted. She did not. She lifted her arms so he could slide it over her head and toss it aside. His eyes skimmed over her body, cataloguing everything about her and adding it to his memories. Within seconds, he had mapped her out completely, his eyes strayed to the slight bruising at the base of her back, from where he pushed her against the control panel. He drew in a breath he had hurt her. He slowly pressed his thumb against the bruise, tantalising, slowly he mapped out the imprint of the control panel. He noticed her intake of breathe in discomfort – he had hurt her.

She turned round to face him, ignoring the pain in his eyes; she started to undue his tie, once complete she threw it to the floor. The Doctor did not find his voice until his shirt slid away and he was topless.

"I'm sorry." He said again, she saw the pain in his eyes, smiling she continued to undress him.

"I'll be sorrier if I let you freeze to death." She answered.

He snapped out of his daze and returned to the task, finally realising how far she had come to undressing him. He stepped out of his shoes in time for his trousers to be discarded; he noticed her breathing again and smiled, _Humans._ He thought. His hands expertly removed her belt and undid her trousers. She kicked her shoes off and slid her trousers down. He watched as she nervously slid her socks off, and then smiled. Watching as she flung them towards the pile of clothes on the floor, her hands twitched nervously. Looking anywhere but at him, her eyes glanced about the room again.

"Rose," He said smiling.

"Yeah." She stammered.

"Trust me." She made eye contact with him, and nodded relaxing.

"Forever." He took her hand.

Leading her to the bed, he moved the duvet and watched as she climbed under. He watched, as she got comfortable in his bed, _she is in_ _my bed_ he thought to himself.

"You coming to join me, or you going stand there all night?" She teased; his smile grew and grinned at her.

He jumped on the bed like an over excited child, making her cry out in surprise. The mattress rocked with the sudden weight, Rose toppling into him.

"Doctor!" She cried.

"Yes Rose," He asked casually.

"Don't do that." She scorned him playfully.

"Or what?" He whispered, into her ear. "You're in my bed I can do anything to you."

He felt her still against him, as he pulled the duvet around them, wrapping them tight, effectively blocking her escape. His arm wrapped around her waist, as he used his free one to support his head. He watched as she considered the situation, then she relaxed into his embrace resting her head into the crook of his arm. Both loving the feeling of each other's skin, she was completely relaxed, eyes closed.

"I trust you..." She whispered, shuffling a little to get comfortable, her hand entwining with the one resting on her waist.

"I know." He said relaxing behind her.

"Night Doctor." She said, giving into tiredness.

"Night Rose." The lights in the room dimmed down, allowing the holographic suns filter through the windows. He watched as they bathed her still form, felt the warmth return to both their bodies.

He watched as she slept.

Brushing a strand from her face, he kissed her forehead, smiling, for once he did not feel so broken.

For once, he finally succumbed to tiredness and rested behind her.

This night he slept with Rose.

The Tardis watched as they both slept soundly in each other's arms.

_End..._


End file.
